


Alain Has a Crush?

by girlnamedlance



Category: Kamen Rider Ghost
Genre: If I tag the main ship it'll ruin the fun, Multi, Unrequited affection, and there's a few background ships too, asking for advice, back in the day this would have been called a crackfic, but i'm old, crushes are fun, crushes hurt, i promise most of them are gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-04 20:19:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6674107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlnamedlance/pseuds/girlnamedlance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alain has a lot to learn in the human world, not the least of which when he learns about an absurdity known as a 'crush' and what humans typically do about it. He has decided that the best course of action is to discuss it with the Tenkuuji Temple family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

While there wasn’t much about being the Ganma Prince that was plain to see, Akari could clearly read his moods. His general sense of bewilderment about the human world had given way to some different kind of acute confusion about something specific today. But, she decided to let him ask when he was ready. She wasn’t going to push the issue, so long as it didn’t seem like he was holding out on anything.

“Akari,” Alain finally said one day.

She jumped in her chair and screamed. He’d done that thing where he walked without making any noise. She irritably closed her computer and stood up. “What did I tell you about sneaking up on people?!” she said snippily.

He looked down and behind him, not like he felt ashamed for sneaking up on her, but as though there was a slight possibility she were talking to someone else. Well, it didn’t really matter. Nor did he start talking again immediately.

Akari took her glasses off. This didn’t feel right. Maybe he did need a nudge. “What is it you needed?”

Again he hesitated. He started to look a little aggravated. “The other two,” he started, and gestured at a diagonal across his chest to indicate the crossing of temple robes. “Were discussing something called a ‘crush’. What is that?”

Akari needed a second to mull that over. Clearly he was referring to Narita and Shibuya, but how exactly was she going to explain what a crush was? Suddenly Kanon popped into her head. Her face got warm and she couldn’t look Alain in the face anymore.

“They discussed it like it was a pleasurable thing to crush someone,” he continued.

Despite herself, Akari laughed. “No, no, no!” That only served to make him more irritated about this whole thing even occurring. She waved a hand to excuse herself and tried to curb her laughter. “It’s not used like some kind of conqueror. It’s... “ again she struggled to pull her words together. “It’s when you enjoy being around someone,” she started, and began to pace behind the desk. “You want to make them happy, and you want to protect them. It’s called a crush because you haven’t told them how you feel yet, and it kind of feels like your heart is being squeezed.” She brought her hand up and clutched at the open front of her flannel shirt.

“That does not sound like an enjoyable feeling at all,” he said, with a look of mild disgust joining his general confusion. 

“I know it sounds weird, but it’s a part of the basis for human attraction. Either the person ends up confessing their love and asking them on a date, or keeping the feeling cooped up inside of them for a while.” Not that she was speaking from personal experience or anything. 

“If the object of this feeling should find it enjoyable, it’s ridiculous to keep it a secret,” Alain stated as though it were empirical fact.

Okay that hurt. “What do you know about ridiculous?!” 

Alain didn’t expect that kind of a reaction. But before that could be addressed further, there was a voice from the bottom of the stairs. “Er, excuse me, Alain-sama, Akari…” It was Kanon. She was hugging a Science textbook and some notebooks and other study materials close to her chest. 

Despite her irritation, Akari smiled. Ah, yeah, there was that feeling she had described to Alain. She glanced between them as Kanon climbed the stairs and gave Alain a respectful bow. Whatever had transpired between them in the Ganma World, Akari didn’t feel like that was a gap she had any business attempting to cross, no matter how she felt.

Fortunately, Kanon pressed on, and gave her something else to think about. “Ah, my class is already working its way through the major systems of the human body, and I’m really behind. Could you help me?”

Akari grinned widely. “You’ve come to the right place!” Kanon had recently started going to school again. They had to fib a little, and say she had been chronically ill up until recently, which left Kanon with a lot of catching up to do. This usually resulted in the two of them pouring over books for a few hours every day. 

Alain just started down the stairs and out of the basement without further word. Kanon gave Akari a concerned look, which was only responded to with a shrug.


	2. Chapter 2

The next one Alain came across in his quest for answers was Makoto. He should have gone to him first. That woman had a strange view of humanity, and usually left him more confused than when he started. And she always seemed to know what was going on in ways no one had ever said.

Finally, he found Makoto in the temple courtyard, with one of those absurd wooden swords in his hand. “Spe-” he started. No, that was wrong. “Makoto, I would like to discuss something with you.”

He finished his strike and held the sword down at his side. By his demeanor this sounded important, but everything was with Alain, sometimes. “Go ahead.”

“What is dating?” he asked. Sure, he hadn’t completely understood what Akari had been getting at, but there were other things he wanted to sort out as well. And he trusted Makoto’s judgement.

Makoto smiled a bit. “You know when Takeru and I sometimes go out to do things together? Sometimes we see a movie together, or get dinner, or do other things. That’s dating. Sometimes it’s with the same person a lot, sometimes it’s with different people until you find someone you enjoy spending time with, or your heart connects to.” He didn’t look abashed at all about speaking so openly about his feelings. This was a much better conversation than he’d had with Akari.

“Someone your heart connects to…” He repeated, considering. 

Makoto approached his friend, and clamped his hand on his shoulder. He knew Alain had a reason for asking about these things, but he knew he’d tell him if he wanted to. Pressing the matter would only upset him further. “As for what that connection is, it’s up to you to find out.”

Alain just remained standing there in thought. As invaluable as Makoto’s insight was, that seemed more simply explained than he expected it to be. Akari’s was too complex, Makoto’s too straightforward. Surely there was something else missing. 

He thought of Aria, left behind to fend off Adel’s forces on her own. He frowned. She would know what the answer he needed was, but she had more important things to worry about.

“Makoto-niichan!” Takeru called as he jogged up the path in front of the temple. “Sorry I kept you waiting.”

Makoto turned to Takeru and smiled. Alain glanced between them and decided to observe for now. “Is something the matter?” Takeru asked once he’d stopped in front of them.

Makoto shook his head. “Not at all.” Lightly, Makoto’s hand reached out and ran down Takeru’s forearm and over his hand, but stopped short of taking it in his own.

“Actually, Takeru Tenkuuji, I would like to ask you about something,” Alain said, noting that gesture.

“Uh, sure. What is it?” Takeru asked. Makoto started walking up the path out of the courtyard toward the main gate to give them some privacy.

“What is it when your heart connects to someone?” Alain asked. 

In contrast to Makoto’s cool demeanor, Takeru turned a little red and got flustered. “Eeh? Uh, well, it’s…” he faltered. He remembered when he was told by his father to connect to the hearts of the Eyecons, but this was probably meant in a different way.

“It’s when you understand each other. You know what each other needs before they say so. It’s giving each other the support they need to be a better person. You and Makoto-niisan seem to have your hearts very well connected, actually.”

That caught him by surprise. Did they? “But he and I aren’t dating.” 

“Ah, no, but I wouldn’t mind if you did. I don’t want to keep him all to myself.” Takeru smiled. He knew that Alain and Makoto had a complex history, and while Alain had a lot to learn about humans, he seemed to have learned a lot about how to treat his friends.

“Is that so…” he replied. He considered again for a moment. “Does it happen all at once? All of those connections you described, do they all come together at once?”

Takeru shook his head. “No, not always. Maybe one will come together immediately, and others fall into place over time. It’s that first one that creates the foundation for the others.” 

This had suddenly made a lot of things fall into place. He knew what he must do now. “Very well. This has been very helpful, Takeru Tenkuuji.”

“I’m glad I could help. See you later,” Takeru said. He turned and jogged to catch up with Makoto.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Alain was sure that he had a plan. But he needed help. Again, he turned to his new friends to assist with some details, while he saw to the most important ones himself. Once that was done, he just had to wait for the appointed time.

But not handling everything himself may have been a mistake. Suddenly everyone on the temple grounds was making a lot of fuss about Alain’s date. He had settled into sitting on the front steps of the temple, where he and his date had made arrangements to meet.

“Alain-sama, am I disturbing you?” Kanon said as she approached.

He shook his head. “No, never. I’m just waiting. Is there something you needed?”

Still she kept a respectful distance. He noticed she was carrying a small pink envelope in one hand. “I want to thank you, actually. You and the others have protected and helped me quite a bit. And today, your courage has made me hopeful too.”

Courage? Isn’t this something humans did all the time? “What do you mean?” 

Akari had emerged from the basement and stretched her arms high over her head on the front porch of the temple. “Ah, it’s a beautiful day!” she said. There was so much activity around here that Alain wondered if he would ever get a proper explanation. 

He looked back to Kanon, who was chewing her lower lip. What was she planning? Kanon glanced between Alain and Akari, and took a deep breath.

“Akari,” she started as she took a few steps toward her. “I wanted to thank you for all of your help. I know you’re working so hard to help Takeru and my brother, but you still take the time out for my school work. So here.” She held out the envelope to Akari.

“Eh? What’s all this?” Akari took it and opened it. Her heart was thudding hard in her chest. She’d drawn a little heart on the envelope flap. That was too cute! Could it be she hadn’t been in love with Alain? Alain’s date wasn’t with Kanon? She smiled broadly.

Inside the envelope were two tickets to a limited-time exhibit on DaVinci, including models of many devices from his notebooks. The pride and joy was a full-scale functional ornithopter. Akari had been wanting to go but everything was so hectic lately. 

She looked from the tickets to Kanon, whose face had turned a wonderful shade of pink. She was smiling. “Thank you,” she finally said. “I was hoping to go to this! But, there’s two tickets! I wonder who should go with me?”

Kanon grinned. “I _am_ writing a paper on DaVinci, after all.”

Akari returned it. “Well, it’s only natural, isn’t it? Let me go get my things and we can go right now. I need a break anyway.” She turned and disappeared into the temple.

“That’s all it took to ask her?” Alain asked Kanon, once Akari was gone.

“Yup! I thought she would like it!” Kanon was still smiling. 

He fell silent again. That was a lot simpler than he had anticipated.

It didn’t take long for Akari to reappear with her bag and come down the stairs to meet Kanon. Kanon linked her hand into the crook of Akari’s elbow and off they went, chattering happily.

“Alain! I have something for you!!” Onari came running up the path toward them. Alain stood up, and was barely able to keep his feet when he was crashed into by the monk and the packages he bore. One was very large, conical, and wrapped in a shimmery substance.

“What is all this?” Alain asked. This was much more than he had expected.

“Here are the tickets you asked for, and a few extra things that I thought would be useful! One has to set the mood, after all!”

“Mood?” Alain asked dumbly. He was being handed an envelope, a small parcel wrapped in red foil, and a bundle of red flowers.

“Yes! One has to make their intentions clear!” Onari continued in his frenetic sort of way. Akari and Kanon ended up lingering to watch this scene. “Anyway, I must go start cooking. I have a guest that is due to arrive at any moment. Good luck, Alain!”

“What is all this nonsense?” he muttered to himself. What was the sense in the flowers? Cut off from their source like this, they would surely wilt soon, wouldn’t they?

Makoto and Takeru came from around the side of the yard. They both stopped in their tracks and glanced at what Alain was holding, then at each other. Makoto’s eyes flitted over to Kanon. Seeing her with Akari, he glanced up at the taller girl, who only grinned. Takeru realized what Makoto was distracted by, and smiled. He was glad they had sorted things out. He elbowed Makoto in the gut as if to remind him that she is in good hands.

“Oh, my, what’s all this?” came yet another voice. “Oh, the whole group is here, that’s wonderful. Hello, everyone!”

The others except Alain greeted Fumi-baa in their own way. “Fumi-baa you look really good!” Kanon observed. “You’re so dressed up!” 

“Well, I guess he really isn’t your boyfriend after the kind of request I just received,” Fumi-baa replied with a chuckle. “Oh, is it a girlfriend, then? Wonderful.” 

Kanon and Akari both turned a little red, but nodded. “Are you here for Alain?”

“I am! After the way I was asked, how could I turn it down?”

“Just how did he ask you?” Makoto pressed. Honestly, he didn’t mean to pry, but he was just too curious.

Alain could feel his ears heating up. What a strange reaction. But still he remained where he was. He kind of wanted Makoto to shut up, but he didn’t protest.

“He got down on one knee and everything! I felt like some kind of princess!” she laughed. 

Okay, that was enough. Alain closed the gap between them, and thrust what he was holding toward her. “These are for you.”

“Oh, they’re wonderful. Truffles! My favorite. They’re round too, so you’ll like them too,” she added. The light laugh never really left her voice. 

Taking Kanon’s lead, he continued. “I wanted to thank you for your help. Without that, things would have been more… difficult,” he admitted.

“Oh, it’s no problem. I thought you might end up with one of those Fukami kids but I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Let’s go, boy. I had to close the cart early tonight for this, you know.”

“No takoyaki?” he looked crushed.

“You are going to take me out and then make me work, boy? You really are interesting!”


End file.
